The Missing Piece
by vegetarianvampireforever
Summary: Bella doesn't trust anyone, so when a mysterious man ruins her life and leaves her to be adopted, Bella can't find a way out of her pain. Bella puts her trust and faith in the hands of one person, but is he the right one? Will she ever be whole again?
1. Prologue

**Hey Guys- so this is the prologue to my new story "The Missing Piece". Please review and tell me if you love it or hate it, it'll help me the upload first chapter faster! Feedback always helps :)**

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How easy is it for someone to tell their life story? How easy is it to let everything go, their truthful words echoing through the desolate hallways of their life? Like a cascade of water over the drought filled plains of their past? Not very easy, I'm assuming. Can we honestly expect anyone to just let everything go? Who has that power?

Not me.

You see, I don't trust anyone. Never have, never will.

I keep everything locked inside; my past a book never to be read. This loneliness has never bothered me though; I prefer to keep to myself.

But is there a limit to how lonely someone can be? I mean sure, I have friends, but is that enough? The empty hole in my heart grows larger by the second, demanding I find my missing piece. But how can I? How should I know what my missing puzzle piece is? How can I identify it?

I sighed as I walked toward the bathroom. Tomorrow was the first day of my senior year, a day i have been dreading all summer. Their would be false rumors all over school about what happened that night. I walked into the shower, the cold water overtaking me. I felt my muscles tighten and suddenly, the water became all too familiar. _His_ face came back to me, reminding me of the unimportant and worthless person I am. My knees gave out below me, no longer strong enough to hold my emaciated body. I crashed to the floor, sobs overtaking my body.

I needed this pain to stop. I knew I deserved this terrible feeling; it was _him_ who constantly reminded me of the piece of trash I was, repeating over and over that depression was my best friend.

And the worst part? He's right.

His face clouded the back of my mind, breaking down every border I had built to save myself from him. His voice echoed through my head, forcing me to lose every last ounce of self-control I had preserved.

_You're never going to be happy, you know. _

"I know," I responded back to him, my sobs echoing through the large bathroom. "I deserve this."

Two strong arms encased my thin frame, lifting me out from the bottom of the tub. One hand turned off the shower while the other wrapped a towel around my body. Soothing hands rubbed circles on my shaking back, the calming effect slowly working its magic. A light voice frantically spoke out, calling someone, but I couldn't completely comprehend the words. The counter beneath me then disappeared, and instead a soft bed took its place.

"Sleep well, my angel" were the last words I heard before I drifted into a deep slumber.

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**Please Review! The first chapter will come quicker :)**


	2. Chapter 1

My eyes fluttered open, still heavy from last night. I lifted my neck, the bump on my head throbbing from where I had hit it in the shower. I tried to slide out of bed; I could hear the Advil in the medicine cabinet calling my name. I was halfway out of bed when I realized the sleeping arms tightly wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to his body.

Damn. How do I get out of this?

I tried to squirm out of his grip, but his long arms were putting up a fight.

"Edward," I whined. "I need to get up…"

Edward had been my best friend ever since we were toddlers. The Cullen family graciously let me move in a couple months ago, after what _he _had done. Edward's mother, Esme, was best friends with my mother. As soon as Esme heard the news, I was invited to live with the Cullen's until I left for college. Esme never knew the real story behind what happened the terrible night my mother was murdered, and she never pressured me into telling her either.

Edward understood my need to get out of bed, so he reluctantly loosened his grip from my waist. It wasn't unusual for us to sleep together, even our parent's didn't mind. Edward was my best friend, always was, and always will be. Edward and I had shared a bed since we were in diapers, and because we had grown so accustomed to each other over the years, we refused to sleep apart. He watched me walk out of bed and into the bathroom, making sure I made it one piece. I may be clumsy, but I I'm not that bad…

I sulked into the bathroom in search of my pain killers.

"So what happened last night?" Edward asked from the bedroom, his voice dripping with concern.

I shuddered as the memory of last night's breakdown rushed through my head. My eyes pooled with tears as _his _voice came back to me.

"Oh-it was nothing…" I stuttered as my voice cracked; this was an obvious lie.

"Oh please, Bella. I've been your best friend for too long to believe that. I know you're going through a tough time, and I really think it would help both of us if you and I talked about it." He suddenly appeared in the doorway, the worry in his eyes so deep it frightened me.

_Don't you dare talk to him. You don't deserve him- or even this new family of yours. Hell, you don't even deserve to be alive; you should be dead like your mother._

_His _voice had really pushed me too far that time. He was right. I should be dead. It should be me buried six feet under, not my mother. It really _was_ my fault my mother was dead. Why couldn't it have been me? I know. I set her up for her murder, I-

"Bella!" I snapped out of my trance as Edwards's hands roughly shook my shoulder, forcing me back into reality. "Why do you keep zoning out?"

"Edward-I'm fine, I promise. Today's the first day of school, so I'm a bit worried." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and a weak smile. "Can I please get ready for school now?

He sighed and pulled me in for a hug. "Bella, I really miss you. More than you can imagine."

"What do you mean? I'm right here…" I cocked my head out of the hug to look up into his emerald eyes.

"You know exactly what I mean, Bella." He lightly kissed my forehead, and with that, he was gone.

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After a quick shower I dressed myself in my bland clothes, ignoring the Abercrombie shirt and mini skirt laid out on the bed for me by Alice, Edward's sister. My goal this year was to blend in as much as possible and my physical attributes were helping me maintain that goal. I stepped in front of my mirror and saw dark brown eyes, dark brown hair, and pale skin. I was so _bland._ I was nothing compared to Alice, her elegance was so unique. Her pixie height might not intimidate people, but her strong attitude certainly did. Alice brought the life into every party-whether she was invited or not.

I made an unnecessary trip to the medicine cabinet-dousing myself in pills to try and mask my incurable pain. I took one last look into my sinful mirror- the reflection I saw was everything I had vowed not to become.

I let out an exasperated sigh and trudged down the stairs, my book bag dragging down the steps behind me. I made it down to the kitchen, my makeshift family already there.

"So, Bella," Alice bounced. "Excited for the first day of senior year?"

"Oh God, don't remind me…" I sank my head into my hands as my mind drifted back to all the new and ridiculous rumors that were bound to start about what happened over the summer.

"Oh come on, Bella. You can't honestly be dreading the first day, can you? It's a fresh start!" It was obvious Alice didn't want to push me on what happened last night either and I was grateful. "Plus, you never know who you might meet this year…maybe you will meet a certain someone that will catch your fancy?" She added with a wink.

Edward choked on his waffle, eye's wide, surprised at Alice's remark.

I laughed hole-heartedly for the first time in weeks. "I highly doubt that I will meet somebody, Alice. Forks is a small town; gossip spreads faster than wildfire. Everyone probably thinks I'm a freak."

"Well, you got the gossip part right," Alice sighed as she picked at her breakfast. "But you have to swear to me, Bella-" She pointed her fork at my face. "You have to take a chance this year. I may not know what truly happened the day your mother was killed, but you can't keep blaming yourself for her death because we all know it wasn't your fault. Promise me- promise me you'll take a chance this year- I don't care how drastic it is."

"Alright," I proclaimed. "I promise."

Alice hopped out of her seat and hugged me tightly. "Thank you so much, Bella. I just know you'll find someone worthwhile." She added with another wink.

Edward stormed away from the kitchen table, angrily throwing his empty plate into the sink.

"What the hell is his problem?" I whispered to Alice.

"Beats me. He's my brother- I shouldn't really care." I chuckled as I threw away my untouched waffle into the trash- eating wasn't really on my mind, even though I hadn't eaten a nutritious meal in days.

"Oh Bella, I have to go-Jasper's here!" She grabbed her designer purse and gave me a quick kiss before she ran out the door to drive to school with her boyfriend. Alice was a lucky girl. She had perfect grades, perfect friends, a perfect life, and a perfect boyfriend. I truthfully didn't know how she handled it.

_Of course she has a nice life. She isn't you._

I silenced the voice out of my mind, no matter how much _his_ words stung.

"Bella, are you ready to go?" Edward asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. Edward had a temper, and as his best friend, I knew I had to be there for him to help him calm down.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I replied with the biggest smile I could muster. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, letting him know that I was here for him, no matter what was bothering him, just like how he was always there for me. Isn't that what best friends are for?

We walked out of the house hand in hand, forging our way to the hellhole that is Forks High School.

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**EPOV**

She's holding my hand. She's holding my hand. She's holding my hand. My breath hitched when I felt the electricity zap through the contact of our flesh- did she feel it too?

Does she still consider me to be her best friend? Or am I something more to her, just like how she means the world to me?

I glanced over at Bella's petite body in the passenger seat. She had the most beautiful, rich, deep brown eyes, so mesmerizing I could never look away. Her luscious brown hair cascaded down her back, the strawberry and freesia sent overwhelming my senses. Her tiny hand was still in mine, even though she was still staring out of the window. It was times like this I could tell she was lost in thought, trying to decipher what really happened that unfaithful summer night. Her mother, Renée, had been murdered by her husband, Ron. Ron was Bella's step-father, her father Charlie had died years ago in a car accident. Bella was found by the police a mile away from her home the night of the murder. She was unconscious and bleeding after her car crashed into a tree-the cause of the incident had never been solved. She never told anyone where she was driving, what had caused the accident, or even the motive behind Ron's action. She never talked about it, the truth locked deep inside her. Bella was my life, my savior. She was the light at the end of my tunnel, what I yearned to reach every passing day. I needed to know what happened that night, but I knew she would explain when she was ready. I didn't push her for the truth and neither did the rest of my family.

I glanced back at Bella and my heart tore at the sight of her head pressed against the window. She was so lost-it was like I didn't even know who she was anymore. Bella was my life and always would be, but I wanted the old Bella back. I needed Bella's smile- one that actually met her eyes, not the one she put on for show. I needed her musical laughter to fill the room again, and I needed her to open up to me. She lost the trust and faith she once had for humanity, shutting down every entrance and exit to her heart and soul.

I needed Bella, my Bella, to open up to me again. I need her back in my life. Couldn't she see that I was nothing without her?

After I parked the car, I dashed out and opened the door for Bella on the other side of the car. She blushed and gave me peck on the cheeks to express her gratitude.

"Thanks for being such a great friend, Edward." Bella whispered, trying to hide her beautiful blush. I lifted her chin so I could see her beautiful face, not wanting her crimson blush to go to waste.

"That's what I'm here for." I replied, my cheek tingling from the sensation of her soft lips. But she said I'm just a friend, nothing more. My heart sank at the thought.

We walked to class in comfortable silence, when I suddenly heard a wolf-whistle coming from Tyler Crowley and his posse. I glared daggers at them as soon as I realized they were talking about Bella.

"Back. Off." I mouthed at him. Anger was bubbling from every pore in my body and I knew I would have lost it any second if Bella hadn't been next to me.

"Who are they whistling at?" Bella asked, confused.

I rolled my eyes and ruffled her hair. "Silly Bella."

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**BPOV**

Edward and I walked hand in hand into our first period class. I glanced at the seating arrangement and noticed that Edward and I weren't lab partners, and instead, I was partnered with somebody named Ryan. I let out a sigh, Edward was a genius when it came to science. I could have really used the help in this class.

I sat down in my designated seat in the middle of the classroom next to the boy I assumed was my lab partner. Edward groaned as he sat down at the table behind me-at least we sat close to each other.

"Hey, I'm Ryan, the new student from New York." Ryan had stunning features; his brown hair barely reached his deep blue eyes, and it was obvious he was athletic. Should he even be talking to me? Tanya Denali, the prettiest girl in school, seemed more in his league. His friendly greeting had caught me off guard-were all men this nice?

_No, they aren't. Shouldn't you know that from experience?_

I pushed _his_ voice to the back of my head, not wanting to have a break down in the middle of class.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Bella. I hope you're good at biology, I'm sorry to say science is definitely my worst subject and I wouldn't want you getting a bad grade in this class because of me." I smiled as I pushed the loose strands of hair out of my face.

"Bella…such a beautiful name, it suits you well," Ryan added in with a wink. "And don't worry, science is my favorite class. Maybe we can meet after school today and I can tutor you a bit?"

I blushed, embarrassed by his compliment. I was about to tell him I was busy, when Alice's voice ran through my head.

_"Plus, you never know who you might meet this year…maybe you will meet a certain someone that will catch your fancy?"_

I had promised her I would take a chance this year, maybe this was it? Was meeting someone new considered finding my missing piece?

I hesitantly bit my lip and responded, "Yeah, I'd like that. Want to meet at my place after school?" I hoped Esme wouldn't mind me inviting someone over. Was that considered rude?

I heard a loud shattering noise behind me and when I turned around I saw Edward with the remains of a broken beaker in his hands. Glass covered the countertop; I was surprised he wasn't bleeding.

"Edward, what the hell happened?" I asked him. Edward pinched the bridge of his nose; it was obvious he was angry. "What's wrong? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"No, I'm fine," he replied. His hands were shaking but I couldn't tell what was bothering him.

"May I please continue with class, Mr. Cullen?" Mr. Banner sarcastically asked Edward for his approval as he swiped the broken glass into the trash bin.

"Yes, sir." Edward replied, staring at his papers. I gave Edward one last look, warning him we would talk about what happened later.

Mr. Banner walked to the front of his classroom and turned on his projector to explain the class syllabus. Great, I was bored already…

Ryan tapped my shoulder, shoving a note in front of me.

"_I'm really bored…want to talk? I mean, we are going to be lab partners the entire year, and I would really like to get to know a beautiful girl like you_." The note read.

I let my hair cascade over my face; I didn't want him to see my blush.

"_Yeah, sure….Mr. Banner seems like a boring teacher, I have a feeling this is going to be a very long year…"_ I wrote back in my messy scrawl.

Ryan and I spent the entire period talking about the basics, everything from our pet peeves to our favorite foods. This was a bit hard for me; I wasn't ready to open up just yet and tell him everything about me.

The shrill sound of the bell filled the classroom, alerting students class was over. Edward sprinted out of the room, almost as if the building were on fire. I ignored his exit and quickly scribbled my phone number onto a scratch piece of paper and handed it to Ryan.

"Call me after your last class; I'll meet you in the parking lot." I told Ryan as I handed him the paper.

"Alright, thanks," He responded, flashing me a brilliant smile.

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**EPOV**

I took my seat in the classroom, depressed that I wasn't Bella's lab partner. Would Mr. Banner be willing to let us switch seats?

I glanced at the girl sitting next to me, Tanya Denali. She was pretty, I'd give her that, but she was nothing compared to Bella. I gazed at Bella, my Bella, and I couldn't help it when my thoughts drifted back to her. I noticed the boy next to her, Ryan Peterson. I recognized him from the Cross Country meeting I had attended last week- apparently he ran the fastest mile in his division.

_Not for long._

Bella's musical laughter filled the air; apparently the kid had a sense of humor.

_Why doesn't she laugh like that when I make a joke?_

Bella blushed and covered her face with her hair.

_Since when did she start blushing again?_

I pulled my chair forward, trying to listen to what Ryan was telling her.

"…Maybe we can meet after school today and I can tutor you a bit?" he asked.

_What the hell? Was he asking her out?_

Bella innocently bit her lip and responded, "Yeah, I'd like that. Want to meet at my place after school?"

_Our house? Bella was letting this stranger come to my home? Why couldn't I just tutor her? Does she even know him? Does she seriously like him more than me?_

I hadn't even noticed the beaker I had in my hand until I had squeezed it so hard it shattered.

Bella spun around, suddenly interested in me. "Edward, what the hell happened?" She asked, concern dripping in her voice. I pinched the bridge of his nose; I didn't want to lose my temper on the first day of school. "What's wrong? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"No, I'm fine," I lied.

"May I please continue with my class, Mr. Cullen?" Mr. Banner glared at me for approval. He wasn't too happy I broke his beaker on just the first day of class.

"Yes, sir." I muttered. Mr. Banner walked back to the front of the class and began going over the grading policy and guidelines of the class.

_Who the hell does this Peterson kid think he is? He thinks he can just walk to Bella like he's known her all his life? What is he passing her? Is that a note?_

Bella opened the note and blushed again. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying my hardest not to break another beaker.

_One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten._

I counted to ten over and over again; I needed to distract myself from what was happening in front of me. I needed something-_anything,_ to make this class go by faster.

The shrill cry of the bell echoed through the room, signaling my escape to freedom. I sprinted out of the room a bit faster than necessary, but I needed to clear my mind. I let my feet lead me anywhere; I just needed to get away. When I found myself in the student parking lot, I jumped into my Volvo and punched the steering wheel until my knuckles bled. The truth was suddenly apparent to me.

_I need to tell Bella I love her._


End file.
